The 60,000 ha aggregation, ‘Avondale’, at Rowena, has kick started soil biology to improve soil structure and root growth to result in high retention, reduced insect pressure, and improved water usage and yields.

This was achieved in a hot, dry year on just 100mm of growing season rainfall aside from irrigation.

Farm manager and 2018 Australian Cotton Grower of the Year finalist, Bernie Bierhoff, uses microbial stimulant, TM Agricultural, across the irrigated and dryland cropping areas.

Grain grown under the TM regime is value added through the 5,000 head on-farm feedlot.

TM Agricultural uses plant extracts to stimulate indigenous soil microbes.

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One of the irrigated fields on ‘Avondale’, field 103, had continually suffered from poor plant establishment and had lagged behind the other cotton fields in performance and yield.

The 2018 crop of Sicot 748B3F in field 103 had received 100 units of nitrogen as black urea along with 250ml/ha of TM Agricultural and 50 units of DAP pre-plant.

A further 200 units of nitrogen as black urea and a second 250ml/ha of TM were applied in-crop.

Mr Bierhoff said observations throughout the growing season had revealed exceptionally high retention and reduced insect pressure.

In May, the crop was harvested to yield an average of 14 bales per hectare (5.7 bales/acre).

“I could never get that field to yield well – it was always patchy and disappointing at the end but this year it looked great from the start, flew out of the ground and ended up being one of our better yielding blocks,’’ Mr Bierhoff said.

“In the past, it was no slouch with average yields of five bales/acre (12.3 bales/ha) but it wasn’t performing as well as some of our other fields.

“We always had to give it more water and plant establishment was difficult.

“This year it was exactly the opposite – it was the easiest field to get up and it never looked stressed throughout the year.

“Great root development gave the crop ability to forage for moisture.’’

Mr Bierhoff said the crop was consistent in its watering pattern on a seven day cycle.

He had begun using TM Agricultural within the Avondale cropping program five years ago, treating half a cotton field and comparing it with the control.

He observed soil porosity and fungal growth on the cotton trash was outstanding in the treated half.

Mr Bierhoff had already been using alternative products for several years, including black urea (carbon coated urea) and stubble digesters, in an effort to improve soil structure and biology, lift plant health and increase fertiliser uptake.

“We wanted to get better value for money out of the current program,’’ he said.

Bernie is now using TM with a stubble digester following mulching and pupae control.

“With cotton, it goes on with our herbicide pre-plant but this year I will inject TM down the slot at planting,” he said.

The history of TM treatment in field 103 started with a Hatrick chickpea crop in 2016.

Despite excessive rainfall, which waterlogged district chickpea crops, field 103 yielded an average of 1.85 tonnes/ha

The crop was irrigated in mid May with 80kg/ha blend of DAP and black urea, and irrigated again in August.

The first TM application was applied pre-plant with a fallow knock down spray and the second application made in-crop.

Mr Bierhoff said the chickpea plants had huge clusters of nodules over dense root systems and the soil drained well under the high rainfall.

“All the grain coming off the irrigated country has been TM treated – we have seen so much difference in our water holding ability and yields on those crops,’’ he said.

“The chickpeas did not suffer from ascochyta and the nodulation was amazing.

“The whole soil balance of microbes made it a lot more favourable for a legume – there was better inoculation and the improved plant health allowed it to cope with the higher rainfall.’’

Best Environmental Technology agronomist Keiran Knight said a crop inspection in February of field 103 had shown vigorous, healthy plants loaded with large bolls.

Mrs Knight said the bio-stimulant applications had activated and repopulated the native soil biology, improving soil structure and the level of soil carbon retained and stored in the soil profile.

“For every one percent soil carbon is increased, an additional 25mm of rain per cubic metre can be stored – that is huge in this era where we have to survive on much less rain than normal,’’ she said.

Mr Bierhoff said keeping an open mind to new technology and ideas was fundamental.

“Our soil is our biggest and best asset, we have to look after it,’’ he said.

“If we can get the most out of it and leave it in a better condition by enhancing the microbial population, it is a no brainer.

“We have not reduced our fertiliser rates but are getting residual for the next crop and have seen a huge increase in earthworms.

“TM Works extremely well under legumes in terms of getting the most performance out of the crop and punching more nitrogen back into the soil.

“That’s where we were seeing the most noticeable benefits up until this year’s cotton crop.

“I’m looking forward to the next crop when we get some water and rain.’’